The remains of Lake Passaic are still evident today in areas such
as the Great Swamp, Black Meadow, Great Piece Meadow, Hatfield
Swamp, here in Troy Meadow and in the basement of area homes
whenever there is a lot of rain. Troy Meadow is a little known
wildlife preserve, covering a couple thousand acres, hemmed in and
threatened by development on all sides.
Be sure to budget a little extra time to explore the area. It is
quite a departure from the mountains of the Highlands Region. The
meadows, lowland forests, vernal pools and swamp areas have a
beauty that is quite different from the Highlands and one that is
experienced by few NJ hikers. Marked trails are scarce, so most of
the time you must make your own way. Birders and nature lovers,
don't forget your binoculars, as you will be amazed by the variety
of birds and other wildlife you'll encounter.
This is the 3rd and last of the Bottom Of Lake Passaic (BOLP)
series of caches. I feel that this one is the most interesting and
challenging of the three. BOLP-I is a short walk, but a nice
introduction to this unique area. BOLP-II shows the heavy hand of
humans on this environment, as the area is littered with debris
both purposefully dumped and that left by floodwaters.
BOLP-III takes you through both. Early on, the evidence of
the human influence abounds. You'll see everything from the usual
debris, to what must be the worlds largest deposit of shattered
clay pigeons and shotgun shells (a must to check out). Passing this
area, you are soon immersed in another world; a world where other
than distant sounds of automobiles, you find it hard to believe
that you are just a couple of miles from the junction of routes 80,
46 and 280.
To get to BOLP-III, Take S. Beverwick Rd. to Troy Meadow Rd.
Follow Troy Meadow Rd to the gate and park. The path starts out as
a gravel road, then becomes a distinct dirt road and soon
degenerates into an ancient, narrow and overgrown path (shown as
Troy Meadow Rd on Topozone and Mapsouce Topo maps). Despite being
very flat, the walk is not an easy one. There are several stream
crossings along the path, some with flimsy bridges and others with
none. The path is overgrown and not marked, or maintained.
Stay on old Troy Meadow Rd as long as possible. To get to the
cache site, you'll have to cross some more streams and wet areas.
There is no need to bushwack through the swamp, but it may take
some time to find your way around it. The most direct route isn't
necessarily the best. The 3.5 star terrain rating is based on the
worst case scenario, which you will encounter in the spring and
after extended wet periods. Drought conditions will knock the
difficulty down by about a star and a half. Same goes if the ground
and streams are frozen solid.
Note: As with the other BOLP caches, insect repellent is your
friend. Long pants and waterproof hiking boots are also recommended
for this walk.
